Perspectives on History

Centuries of Pride

The decade of the 1890s was a period in BC’s history when many trade unions first got their start. That made the decade of the 1990s a time when those trade unions were celebrating their hundredth anniversaries, and all of them had rich histories and the will to tell their stories to the younger generation or workers.

Our company started humbly enough to design and arranging the printing of histories for the carpenters, the Sheet Metal Workers and other unions. Then we were asked to undertake a testimonial book for a retired union leader which would be supported by advertising. Our first attempt was very successful, and the revenue left over after the book was off the presses helped under-write some of the costs of the testimonial dinner.

In the following years we were asked to produce similar ad-supported books for the the Drywall Tapers and Finishers and the Elevator Constructors, and we went on to complete history books including text and photos for the Elecrical Workers, the Heat and Frost Insulators, and the Plumbers, and an update of the 90-year history for the Sheet Metal Workers. We also completed a similar book for the unionized construction industry in BC.